Harry Potter and the Unknown Corridor
by Raven-Blackwood
Summary: Harry Potter returns for his first day of 6th year and things dont work out how he hoped. Then he finds a corridor thats been unused for a long time and the secrets it holds. AU. DaphneGxOC. Herm, Ron and Dumbledore bashing. Smart Harry. Timetravel.
1. Chapter one: First day and fed up

AN: I do now own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

Enjoy, rate and review!

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Chapter 1: First day back and already fed up

Harry, who had once again fallen out of being friends with his red headed idiot of a best buddy, was walking alone in one of the many dark empty corridors that Hogwarts has to offer. Mumbling and grumbling to himself about the wizarding world being idiots and morons, and it seeming to be contagious.

"Every time, every god dang time. If it wasn't for all the innocent people that deserve justice, I'd have told Dumbledore to shove it up his Azkaban!"

Fortunately for Harry, no one was around to hear what he'd said. And even more lucky, there were no portraits in this section of the castle. In fact, Harry soon realised he'd gotten himself lost. 6th year and he managed to get himself lost. If anyone found out, Harry would never hear the end of it. "Boy-who-lived gets lost at Hogwarts!", "Saviour of the wizarding race needs map!"

If it didn't constantly remind him that he'd failed in saving Sirius, he'd have brought the marauders map with him. In his 3rd and 4th years, Harry regularly carried it with him. But didn't dare give the toad faced Umbridge a chance to confiscate it in the name of the ministry.

It was the first day of his 6th year at Hogwarts and already he'd had an argument with almost everyone in the weasley family, except the twins. Dumbledore, although technically he'd argued with him before the term started, Hermione, had an encounter with his self-proclaimed arch enemy Draco Malfoy. An even better meeting with Severus Snape. And now, after all that, when he thought it couldn't get any worse. Though in his opinion, Voldemort, good old Tom Riddle, probably could have shown up to add a little more fun to the mix. He'd managed to find a corridor that looked as if even the Dementors from his third year wouldn't dare enter.

The corridor he'd managed to find was covered in at least 3 inches of dust. Though surprisingly no spider webs. The air was stale and stagnant; the walls even had a small layer of what looked like mould growing on it. Obvious signs that even the Hogwarts house elves didn't venture into the area. Though he did notice odd panel shapes in the walls, as if something had been hung there for a long amount of time before being taken down. Most likely portraits. But most of all there was an odd chill. Almost as if there was a cold breeze. But Harry couldn't feel anything of the sort.

Alas there was hope yet. Despite being too stubborn to simply turn back. The reason being he didn't feel like being chastised by his so called friends. Mainly Hermione of course, the others would most likely just give him disappointed looks, looks that one would give to a child that had misbehaved. And Harry was most definitely tired of being treated like a child. Looking forward, carefully, almost to the point of squinting, he realised that in the darkness that was the seemingly never ending hallway, he thought he saw the flickering of a light, a torch or lamp maybe.

On the one hand he thought it best not to investigate, maybe it would be the best idea to simply turn around and find another route to use in his wallowing. Ignore the mystery that was teasing him closer.

Or maybe, on the other hand, he should live up to his reputation. The one he apparently follows in his father's footsteps. Bravely, if not a little stubborn, and walk into the dark, to find out what the light was. Quench the curiosity that belonged to his mother's quest for knowledge. And blindly put himself into danger like he'd heard was his fathers repertoire. These being things he'd learn of thanks to his head of house.

Regardless, he knew his mind was already made up the moment he'd stumbled into the corridor. Very slowly he treaded through the thick layer of dust. Slowly, in hopes of not disturbing the carpet of dust. He was not enthusiastic with the idea of inhaling any of the seemingly ancient specks of dirt and other things that made up the large floor of grime and filth. As long as he did not sneeze, he'd have no problem continuing on his newest adventure.

The tunnel, which had seemed long and never ending before, was even more so after 10 minutes of tiptoeing and no hint that the light was any closer. In fact it had dimmed ever so slightly. Sighing in exasperation and shaking his head, Harry decided to give up for now and turn around. Maybe if he hurried a little he could make it back to the common room before anyone else and avoid the other two thirds of the trio.

Without any warning whatsoever, upon turning around Harry only saw one thing before everything went dark and he felt himself falling forward. Mentally groaning at the idea of falling face first into the muck on the floor, before falling unconscious.

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AN: Cliffhanger, aint I a stinker XD  
Of course it's more of a prologue than a chapter, but still. It's meant to set it up.


	2. Chapter two: What happened?

AN: I do now own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

Also, I wanna say thanks for everyone who's read and added this to either their fave fic lists, or your story alerts. I apreciate it! As thanks, I got this chapter out as quick as my muse would allow.

Enjoy, rate and review!

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Chapter 2: What happened?

Harry slowly felt himself return back to the land of the living. Other than a sore spot on his chest, one which felt oddly familiar, he felt fine. Opening his eyes a crack he was only mildly surprised to see the familiar white ceiling of the infirmary. As well as a sliver of light streaking across the room from a nearby open window.

After a minute or so of waking himself up, he pulled his elbows up and attempted to sit up, instead of the desired result however his chest was racked with a coughing fit and was soon holding his hand to his mouth and in an attempt to remain silent and undetected. He failed. Miserably. His coughing and sputtering instantly alerted the Hogwarts medi-nurse to the fact he was awake.

"Stay right where you are Mr Potter!" Madam Pomfrey barked out, rushing over to his bedside, her wand out and performing diagnostic spells before she had even stopped moving.

"Harry my dear boy, it's good to see that you're awake." Came the voice of someone Harry would rather not talk to. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts.

For a moment, Harry wondered if he could pretend to go back to sleep, maybe avoid confrontation with the older wizard. But realised, Dumbledore would most likely simply wait until he 'woke up' again. Instead Harry led back down under the medi-witches stern glare and remained silent, his coughing fit having stopped the moment he heard the old man.

"I was wondering if I could take a moment of your time, and ask you a few questions my boy?" the grey-haired wizard asked, his usual grandfatherly tone of voice along with his twinkle in his eye.

Remaining silent, was the best choice for Harry. Not that he did what was best. "If you must, sir". Harry said in a rather cold tone. Having added the 'sir' on an afterthought.

If Albus had noticed the cold tone Harry had used, or the forced sir, he did not show it. "Everyone was worried about you last night. But we're all glad that you're ok now."

Harry very badly tried to hold his tongue, but alas, his Gryffindor pride won out, "I very much doubt that. Sir."

"Now Harry, I was hoping you had calmed down and realised the error of your ways after our last discussion." Despite the accusatory tone in his voice, there was still the hint of being everyone's favourite grandfather, as well as his eyes that were still as twinkly as ever.

Harry's eyes were not twinkling. Harry's eyes were practically seeping fiery anger at the words he heard come out of the mouth of a man he had once admired. "Error of my ways!? I'm not sure I heard you correctly professor, did you just say the error of my ways?"

Harry noticed, unintentionally of course, that he did not feel the familiar feeling of his wand in his robes. That usual little feeling of knowing one can defend one's self at a seconds notice. The knowledge that with it, he could do things that most people would be astounded by. Part of Harry was shouting to find it and hex the headmaster. But Harry wasn't that far. Yet.

"Yes Harry, you heard me correctly. And I must say we're disappointed in the way in which you have been handling yourself these last few days. I had hoped after the little outburst at the end of last year, that you have learned a better grasp of control." Dumbledores tone of voice was not happy, and neither was it consisting of the usually proud grandfather tone. Instead it had all the qualities of intense disappointment and sadness.

_Harry was out of the car door before it had even stopped. And before his uncle Vernon could even get himself out of the driving seat, of the two times too small car. Although whether it would have been to help or simply hurry the freak off was unsure. Harry was already opening the boot of the car to fish out his trunk. Harry had released Hedwig out of her cage the night before, having told her to meet him at Hogwarts, so had managed to fit the case in the trunk._

"_Don't forget what you promised boy! This is the last time we'll see the likes of you and your freakiness'. If any of your kooky friends come by we'll be sure to slam the door in their unnatural faces!"_

_Harry who had not noticed the Weasley family's car having pulled in at the train station the same time as he did, had no idea they were 2 cars down, and able to hear every word. "I can't wait for it! The sooner I get away from you the better! I've had enough of you and your stupid family! You won't see me ever again!"_

"_Good! Maybe that whatever-his-name is will finally do you in! Just like he did your parents! It'd be like an early Christmas to know we won't have to see you again!" Harry's uncle shouted from the open window that he was seemingly trying to crawl out of in mid shout. Harry enjoyed the thought for a moment of his uncle crawling out only to get stuck a quarter of the way. Quarter simply because he'd never fit far enough through to get halfway._

"_And I hope that he'll pay you a visit. Do the whole world a favour. I might not even show up to save the day!"_

"_Harry!" a familiar voice shouted from behind Harry. _

_So busy in his argument with his uncle, who was soon driving away in a rage. One would be surprised if he didn't cause an accident, not like Harry minded. That he had let someone sneak up on him._

_Turning around Harry was greeted with the visage of Hermione and the Weasley family. All flabbergasted and surprised, at not only the sight and sound of Harry Potter, boy-who-lived, yelling at someone. But at what exactly he'd said._

"_Harry! How could you say something like that?" his bushy haired friend asked, clearly appalled at the thought._

"_I'm fed up with it Hermione, every year I have to go back there, and I refuse to go there again."_

"_But Harry, Dumbledore said.."_

"_What did he say Hermione? What would Dumbledore tell you, about the circumstances of me living with people that had me existing in a cupboard under the stairs for the first 11 years of my life? And I do mean existing, because it's not 'living' to be starved whilst hidden away like some sort of a freak."_

_Harry was beyond caring what Dumbledore said, he'd been blaming the old man since Sirius died and he'd realised there was no way that Dumbledore would not have realised that he'd been living in a cupboard. His first Hogwarts letter was addressed to Harry Potter, Cupboard under the stairs, #4 Privet drive. Surely he was aware. But did he do anything about it? No. He could have, but did he? Did he squat. _

_Harry was sure after 3__rd__ year he'd have been able to live with Sirius. The ministry didn't believe that the black family heir was innocent, but who was the ministry to say where Harry lived. Or Dumbledore for that matter. But repeatedly he was forced to return to the Dursleys. For some reason that the headmaster repeatedly claimed was something Harry was not ready to hear. _

"_Harry mate, calm down. Your acting childish." The youngest male Weasley piped up. Hermione after all was too busy thinking about what their black haired friend had said._

"_I'm acting childish? Me? That's rich coming from someone who every year finds some reason to believe I'm either going dark, or flaunting my fame and money around."_

_For the next 10 minutes, Harry was chastised by the Weasley matriarch for badmouthing Dumbledore and talking rudely to his friends. Yelled at by Ron. Verbally beaten by Hermione who after having gotten her nerve back denied anything and everything that insinuated them being bad friends and that Dumbledore were anything but completely perfect. Even Ginny and the head of the Weasley household, Arthur Weasley gave Harry a piece of their minds. _

_The arguments were quickly cut short when Harry shouted rather loudly, still in the muggle side of the train station, that "It's Dumbledores fault that Sirius is dead!" and then proceeded to push a trolley he'd placed his trunk onto through and onto the platform, leaving his friends gaping in shock all with red faces._

_The whistle for the Hogwarts express screamed into life just as Harry loaded his trunk into an empty compartment. Having figured that being on the train constituted being at Hogwarts, in some odd logic. Harry used the strongest locking spell he knew on the compartment door and sat down, content on not sharing a compartment with people he knew he'd be in an argument with the moment they sit down._

_Harry fell asleep once the adrenalin rush had disappeared. Upon waking up, after what he believed to have been only a couple of minutes, he realised that he had not in fact had anyone attempt to enter the compartment. Good. "Least I don't have to deal with unwanted visitors." Though it was a bit strange._

_After a couple of minutes watching the scenery go by, Harry heard the food cart go by. Quickly unlocking the door Harry ordered some sweets and pumpkin juice before sitting down._

_Unfortunately for Harry, he hadn't remembered to lock the door. Halfway between a chocolate frog, the compartment door was slid open to reveal Draco Malfoy in his usual position in front of and between his minions Crabbe and Goyle. "Look what we got here, potty is all on his lonesome. You finally get tired of your filthy mudblood and the poor blood-traitor?"_

_Instead of simply saying anything in reply, Harry who had been having a bad day already, simply lifted his wand and sent a moderately powered stinging hex, along with a few other curses involving boils, itching, and a myriad of other lovely affects, right into the Malfoy family jewels. _

_Needless to say, the pompous prince of Slytherin was dragged away. And Harry remembered to lock the door before falling asleep. The rest of the ride had been peacefully silent and uneventful. The moment he arrived at Hogwarts however was a different story._

_He was face to face with non-other than Severus Snape._

"_You've reached the last straw this time Potter. Attacking a fellow student, unprovoked. You'll be expelled for sure this time." The usual sneer adjourning the greasy haired potions master's face._

_Harry however smiled at the man in front of him. After having come face to face with Voldemort as many times as he had now, he didn't bat an eyelid at the pitiful attempts of Snape anymore. "I don't think that's true, Snivelus," the rage that instantly plastered itself over the black haired man was seething. "You see, I know the prophecy. Without me at Hogwarts, I'm not 'safe'," Harry stated with air quotes, "and Dumbledore would never allow his weapon to be killed."_

_Severus, in a fit of rage pulled his wand out on Harry, right there in the train platform in front of all the students, older and younger. As well as Hagrid who was protecting the first years._

_Harry simply laughed, causing Snape to become utterly confused thinking along the lines that maybe Dumbledore had pushed too hard finally and the Potter brat had finally snapped. But his musings were cut short when Harry without any mercy what so ever, delivered a swift knee to the groin and a elbow strike to the back of the potion masters head._

_Students all around shocked into silence. Hagrid, in a strange turn of events had in fact been looking the opposite way when Snape was taken care of. _

_Walking past his so called friends who were watching on from the side with a looks akin to surprise, awe and shock upon their faces. Harry made his way towards the carriages, and sat down, intent on simply waiting for the backlash that would obviously hit the moment the rumours were spread during the feast._

Before Harry had the opportunity to reply to the things that the headmaster had said, Madam Pomfrey was instead, rather insistent on getting a say in the matter. "Albus, I don't mean to intrude on personal matters, but I'm trying to do a diagnostic to find if Harry's affected by that stunning spell. And all I'm getting is nonsense, due to his growing anger at whatever it is you're discussing."

"Ah I see how that would be an issue Poppy. I hope we can find a spare moment to discuss this soon Harry. When I get a free moment in my busy schedule, I'll send someone." Before Harry could reply that he didn't want to discuss anything with the man. He was already gone, left to the ministrations of the medi-witch.

The infirmary was silent for a few minutes before Harry quickly realised what he heard and asked the question that he already had the answer to. "I was stunned?... somebody stunned me!"

"Not so loud Mr. Potter!" Came the quick reply from madam Pomfrey.

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AN: Better length this time? Good. Will work on doing better soon, gotta get used to writing again afterall.


	3. Chapter three: Least it's not just me

AN: I do now own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

Enjoy, rate and review!

With my author privaleges, I've changed minor little things here and there of course. It is an AU afterall. Things were too slow for me this chapter mainly because my birthday came up aswell as christmas, but I swear, I'll do better next year. -chuckles at old joke-

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Chapter 3: I don't care, just leave me alone!

"Alright, sorry I won't shout, but I was stunned?" Harry re-questioned the old nurse. He knew it felt familiar to him, the ache in his chest, it felt familiar because it was from a stupefy spell. He'd felt it before so he was sure he recognised the ache and tingly feeling across his extremities. Admittedly the Potter heir's pride was bruised slightly, not only did he fail to recognise what had happened, but he'd been taken by surprise and bested by a simply stunner.

"That's what I gathered from the diagnostics I ran when you were first brought in." Poppy answered the young boy; he had the right to know what had been done just as much as the next person. Working in a place like Hogwarts, she was used to people being brought in with various spell related accidents. Though how a stunning spell could be classed an accident she was unsure.

"Brought in? Excuse me madam Pomfrey, but could you tell me who brought me in?" Harry asked hopeful. If he knew who had brought him in, maybe they could tell him where it was he was found. And then he could retrace his steps and find out who stunned him. Although he already thought he knew who it would be. Malfoy.

"I'm not entirely sure; I was treating another student when I heard someone ask for help before dropping you on a bed and leaving." Pomfrey answered slowly, trying to remember as much as she could.

Before Harry could ask another question, he was quickly given a potion and told to rest a little longer. The potion took immediate affect and sent the black haired Gryffindor to sleep.

_When Harry had been told he was 'allowed' to visit Diagon alley to get his supplies, he'd been angry at first. Allowed. Him, Harry Potter. Allowed to visit a public place to buy necessary school supplies. How old did Dumbledore think he was? He was 15, 16 on July 31st for crying out loud. He could buy his books on his own, without any hassle. Not to mention he'd already faced Moldyshorts on multiple separate occasions._

_He was however, against his wishes, followed by a so called undercover order member. Though Harry was able to pick him out in a heartbeat. Mundungus Fletcher was not the most graceful of shadows. Especially considering his constant intoxicated state. Needless to say, Harry did not take the invasion of his privacy, lying down. With a steady pace, and a turn around a corner, followed by a quick use of his invisibility cloak and his follower was soon searching frantically, in the wrong direction._

_Having left Harry the opportunity to continue his shopping in peace or at least until he noticed Draco Malfoy and his Mother sneaking down a turn into knockturn alley._

_Never being one to let Malfoy out of his sights, Harry was quick to throw his cloak back on, and follow the blonde and his mummy to their destination. Which just happened to be, Borgin and Burkes, one of the shops in knockturn alley that was most well known for selling illegal dark artefacts, tomes and other shady dealings._

_Harry knew better than to pass judgement without evidence, but before he even slipped through the door, he knew that Draco was not there to simply find a book, or buy some furniture._

_Just as Harry was about to sneak in through the door, he caught sight of a large hairy burly man. Someone Harry would not want to meet in a dark alleyway. Though in retrospect that was the case. The man, or beast if the feeling Harry got was accurate, practically screamed Deatheater. So Harry wisely decided that it was best not to be in the same room as someone that most likely worked for the person that wanted him dead._

_Instead Harry chose the safer option of using some of the 'wall-walking sneakers' that the Weasley twins had sold, amongst a myriad of other prank and fun related items that they themselves invented, marketed and sold to the masses of people. Which of course, him being partners with the twins when he had given them his winnings of the tri-wizard tournament, though in his instance it was more of a quad-wizard tournament, but it really didn't have the same ring to it, earned him specific perks. Such as free products and a share of the earnings, though of course to get things started off, the Potter heir insisted his share go towards the running of the business to get things started._

_Quickly slipping the sneakers on, Harry pressed the button on the side and was soon walking up the wall to get a viewpoint through the skylight. A few times Harry had to be careful when the possible Deatheater from earlier kept turning around to look out the window. But even with his head down, he knew what was happening. Thanks to the shouting._

"_What do you mean you sold it?!" Harry recognised the voice instantly as Draco's. _

"_I'm sorry, but I tried telling you the other day over the floo. I can't keep an object for more than a week. After 7 days it's open to being bought by anyone else." Came the voice that Harry could only guess was the owner. Having never, for obvious reasons, entered the shop, Harry didn't know the owner nor what his voice sounded like so could only guess._

"_Listen here Caractacus, we put a down payment on it, when we asked you to hold it back. At the very least we demand our money back." Before Harry could even try to indentify the woman's voice, Draco's whiney screech interrupted. "But mother, it's not a matter of money! I demand that you get the cupboard back this instant."_

"_I'm sorry but I can't do that, it's already gone."_

"_If that's the case then maybe you need a proper incentive, my friend here might be able to help with that."_

_The large burly man from earlier growled and stalked up to Draco's side. Causing the owner to shiver on the spot._

_Harry, who once the man had moved from the skylight and was able to see again, noticed from his vantage point that the owner had stepped on something that looked like a button. He was instantly sure that it was some sort of call for help button. Maybe it sent a call to the aurors. He wasn't sure but the point was he wasn't needed anymore and he'd already gotten enough new information to think about._

_And if it wasn't a call to the Aurors, then it meant that, a shop that catered to scum like the Malfoy family and other dark accomplices to the snake faced lord, was going to be destroyed. To be honest, it really didn't seem like a crying shame at all in the black haired boys' opinion._

_Climbing down from the roof and throwing his cloak on once again, upon leaving the alley he noticed aurors running in the shop's direction. With a blank look on his face Harry walked on his way to his gringotts meeting._

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Just like Poppy had said, Harry felt a lot better after the potion, despite the normal urge to throw up after the agonisingly horrible tasting medicine. And after a little nap was quick to grab his possessions. Finding his wand safely in his inner secret pocket of his robe.

With his things in tow, Harry made his way down to the grand hall just before breakfast finished. Deciding not to sit by anyone he argued with, he stuck himself at the end of the table with this years firsties, his so called friends halfway up the table giving him dirty and confused looks.

Managing to grab a few rashers of bacon and two pieces of toast before it was cleaned away by the resident Hogwarts house elves, and making small chat with the new Hogwarts students, mainly just asking how they like it so far. He managed to fill a small spot in his stomach and avoid any unwanted arguments. For then at least.

Promptly, upon finishing his makeshift bacon butty, professor McGonagall strolled over with a partially confused look upon her face at his choice of seating before handing him his schedule. "It is good to see you are feeling better Mr. Potter. As well as taking the opportunity to help the first years fit in."

Instead of ruining the moment and declaring his reason being because his friends were idiots, Harry simply nodded and smiled to the older woman. Over the years, he'd come to rely on the strict but fair actions of his head of house. The stern Scottish woman held pride in her work; she truly enjoyed teaching the students and was unconcerned with petty squabbles such as house rivalry. Not to say she didn't have a bias for her lions. Like a proud battleaxe wielding grandmother who lives to teach and protect her cubs.

After a comforting smile to the first years, who kept trying to steal a look at the famous Harry Potter scar, the Gryffindor golden boy looked at his schedule, mentally groaned at his luck and headed off to transfiguration. Hoping to get there before his 'friends'.

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AN: Again, I know it's short, will work on bigger chapter next.


	4. Chapter Four: Maybe things can get bette

AN: I do not own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

Also, I wanna say thanks again for everyone who's read and added this to either their fave fic lists, or your story alerts. I apreciate it! As I said in my last chapter, it took a while to upload and wasn't very juicy or long, the length of this one is to make up for it. So thanks! Oh, I got this chapter out as quick as my muse would allow, enjoy!

Enjoy, rate and review!

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Chapter four : Maybe things can get better

Upon arriving at his Transfiguration lesson, Harry was glad that he'd managed to avoid Hermione and Ron so far. But he knew it couldn't be forever. With the door left open, Harry walked into the empty classroom and sat towards the back, in one of the corners. After a couple of minutes a few people came in, sitting down in various places.

The seats in front of Harry were taken by a pair of Slytherin students he didn't recognise, one blond girl and one redheaded girl. At first Harry double checked, he didn't know after all that there were any redheads in Slytherin. After making sure it wasn't a Weasley in snakeskin disguise, he looked around to check the rest of the room out.

Thankfully fate decided to throw the boy-who-lived a bone. Neville Longbottom, to be precise. Realising that Hermione and Ron could still sit next to him; Harry very quickly called Neville over.

Though partly confused, and seemingly unaware of the conflict between the famous Gryffindor and his usual company. Neville gladly smiled and sat down, opening his books ready before trying to strike up conversation.

"Hello Harry. Haven't spoken to you since last year, how are you?" the boy who Harry now noticed had grown yet again asked, Neville before was somewhat short and tubby. But had over the years, quite obviously now, had grown into a tall somewhat muscled young wizard.

"To be honest Neville... I'm not doing that great right now."

"Is that why you're avoiding your normal friends?"

At this Harry's gaze, which had gravitated down to his books, quickly shot up to look at a still politely smiling friend. Before Harry could say anything, Neville took the opportunity to explain a little further.

"I know I'm not one of the usual friends you go to when you've got a problem." Harry was soon feeling rather bad, had he been that bad of a friend to Neville? "But don't worry about it Harry, it's ok. I understand. And it's not that hard to see that the great trio of Gryffindor is having some issues. Parvati and Lavender are reframing from spreading the rumours till they get more info though, so I wouldn't worry too much."

"No, Neville. You are my friend." Harry quickly stated, clapping his friend on the back gently before explaining further "and I do appreciate it, really. You've never questioned me. Never argued with me. Discussed something you disagree with, yes. But never talk to me like I'm stupid."

"Harry, it's ok, I understand. If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you."

"Thanks Neville, really, I'll take you up on that."

Before either could say anything else, Harry noticed that during his short chat with his friend, he'd failed to notice McGonagall, as well as everyone else enter the room and take their places.

"Now everybody open your books to page 216, we'll be starting off reading and as soon as everyone is done we'll get onto the practical" the curt but strict voice of the head of Gryffindor house stated whilst taking a seat at her desk.

Almost the moment she sat down, the two people Harry was avoiding, walked in, in the middle of one of their endless arguments. Completely oblivious that the object of their discussion was already in the room.

"I can't believe Harry is going to miss class simply because he's being childish." The bushy haired female whispered angrily to the redhead she stormed in with. Completely ignorant that McGonagall was at her desk watching.

"I'm still sure I overheard Seamus saying that Harry was taken to the infirmary. If you'd have listened to me instead of trying to read the entire Transfiguration book at the last moment, we'd of had time to check."

Thankfully, before either could continue their squabble, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat to get their attention. Letting both of them be fully aware of everyone's eyes, and snickering focused solely on them. Still completely oblivious that Harry was in the room, hearing their slander.

"Class has started, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley. Ten points each, from Gryffindor."

It wasn't until the reading side was complete and they were to start the process of learning the basics of becoming animagi that the silence was broken.

After a brief lecture, Professor McGonagall asked a few questions, most of which were answered by Hermione, before asking for a volunteer.

Instead of choosing Miss Granger, whose arm seemed to be touching the ceiling, she chose Harry who was almost completely out of it, reading ahead in his book for once.

"Mr. Potter, would you kindly come up here a moment and help me demonstrate a spell to determine ones animagus form to the class?"

If it wasn't for the noise of Harry's chair sliding back against the stone floor, he would have been sure he'd heard the sounds of his two friends necks suffering whiplash from the speed their heads turned around.

On the one hand, Harry considered for a moment that having heard the slander coming from two Gryffindor students, his Transfiguration teacher, who was in fact their head of house, had decided to choose Harry for that very sole reason of enlightening them to the fact that the object of their 'discussion' was in the room, in hearing distance.

Either way, they were fully aware of it now.

Walking slowly up to the front desk Harry stood in silence and listened as McGonagall explained that whilst not everyone had the potential to become an animagus, the spell would show if one had a form and what it might be.

If Harry thought the reaction of his friend's heads turning was humorous. When his body glowed gold for a moment and the whole classroom gasped. One person in the front row even fainting. He'd wished he'd recorded the reactions.

Whilst Harry had been rather sure his form would probably be that of a stag like his father, even he had to admit he'd never have guessed his form would be that of an albino basilisk. Despite how much he wished he could simply look at Voldemort and end it all.

Evidently never did anyone else see it coming. For whispers immediately started the moment the power of speech returned.

"M-Mr. Potter. It seems you are gi-gifted with an animagus form. Congratulations." his Professor was obviously stunned, as were most of his classmates. But at least she wasn't starting to make outlandish comments like some of the more brash Gryffindor students were. Not to mention the Slytherins.

"You really are the heir of Slytherin!" or "Harry Potter really is a dark wizard!" were just a few of the things said.

Needless to say it took McGonagall a few minutes to calm everyone down before Harry asked permission to leave. After being politely refused and told to return to his seat. Harry sat the remainder of the lesson in silence. The only people trying to defend him, being Neville and McGonagall.

* * *

After the wondrous lesson that was Transfiguration, the lesson that had ended with Harry preparing to be an outcast, again. He was first to escape before being targeted by people he still wasn't ready to be cornered by. Thankfully he was followed by the one friend that seemed to stick by him.

"You don't have to explain anything Harry. I'm your friend regardless".

Needless to say Harry gave his friend a hug and continued onto their next lesson.

Once Harry and Neville arrived at Charms. They decided to sit together. And whilst Charms did not manage to spiral out of control as Transfiguration had. It did have an odd twist.

As was the usual tradition in Flitwicks class. They would study the theory, then the wand movements and them onto practical application of the Charms.

And as usual, the success ratio's usually stayed the same, Hermione 1st, a Ravenclaw second. Then after 20 minutes Harry would get it.

However, having only seen the demonstration by Professor Flitwick, Harry attempted his try like usual, although ever so slightly more focused than usual. Friends distracting him and making him feel stupid must have had an effect, as it ended with a most surprising outcome.

The spell they were attempting for that lesson was animation of objects.

So when Harry attempted to make his wooden soldier move, he did not expect it to salute him, and proceed to charge tackle Neville's model. Beating it into submission, resulting in a pile of splinters, before moving onto the next nearest doll and repeating the process.

Needless to say, Flitwick was most pleased, if not happily surprised. And awarded Harry 20 points and asked him to stay after class.

At the end of class, Neville having got the charm completed thanks to a few tips from Harry, who wasn't sure what was different with his method than his friends, told him he'd wait outside.

And with a smile Harry nodded and waited for Flitwick to bring up whatever it was he was either in trouble for or maybe to discuss his Transfiguration lesson issue.

"Harry, I was most surprised at your quick grasp of the charm today." Flitwick asked without preamble, though the tone was that of cheerful wonder rather than anything negative.

"So was I Professor." Harry admitted, having shocked himself with the ease at which the charm took place.

"It reminded me so much of your mother," Harry's teacher half mumbled seemingly lost in a memory for a moment before his words reached Harry.

"My mother sir? I didn't know you taught my mother."

"Oh yes Harry, she was a smart witch, if it wasn't for being fair, I'd say she was my most promising student."

To Harry this was news. Sure, he'd been told by Professor McGonagall at one point that his mother was the most talented witch she'd met in a while. But he'd never had his mother mentioned by anyone else, other than Dumbledore when he was trying to be his grandfather and Sirius when he was trying to have heartfelt conversations with him. Usually ending in a story from the marauder days.

"I'm guessing she was good in Charms then sir?"

"Most certainly", the short Professor puffed up proudly, and then a few seconds later his expression turned to slight confusion, "I'm surprised Minerva hasn't mentioned your mothers' status as a Charms protégé."

"I'm sorry sir, I don't mean to sound ignorant, but what is a Charms protégé?"

"Oh I'm sorry Mr. Potter, I assumed you knew, although a protégé hasn't been born for a hundred years before your mother so..." He stated with humour in his voice for being silly, "it's what comes after being gifted in the M-I-T-P-M scale. More commonly known as, Magically-Inclined-Towards- Particular-Magic scale." The diminutive Professor said as if it explained everything.

"I'm sorry sir, but I really don't know what you're talking about. I've never heard of any magically inclined scale."

Just as Professor Flitwick was about to explain, the classroom door opened and a set of third years walked in.

"I'm terribly sorry Harry, but it seems we've been talking longer than planned, how about you remind me later, or maybe ask one of the other Professors to explain it to you."

Simply nodding in reply, whilst mentally berating the third years from interrupting. Harry smiled politely and made a mental note to get the magical inclination scale explained at some point.

On the outside of the door, he was happily surprised to find Neville still waiting patiently for him. With a smile and thanks for waiting, the two rushed off to their Herbology class. Neville eager to get back to the greenhouse where he felt more confident in himself, and Harry eager to getting closer to lunch, having such a surprising and busy day really made one hungry.

* * *

AN: I hope it was a better qaulity and qauntity for you. and you'll be glad to know I've already gotten a nice flashback ready for a later chapter, aswell as a explanation for the Scale too!

Read, enjoy and review!


	5. Chapter five: Bad, to good, to bad again

AN: I do not own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

Also, I wanna say thanks again for everyone who's read and added this to either their fave fic lists, or your story alerts. I apreciate it! I got this chapter out as quick as my muse would allow, and I hope it's qaulity apeases those of you that are ravenously addicted to it. You know I'm talking about you!

Enjoy, rate and review!

* * *

Chapter Five: Bad, to good, to bad again.

Harry's first proper day back had started off not so great. Having first woke up to the knowledge of having been attacked in a dark seemingly empty corridor.

Then having to very careful with what he was saying to a certain leader of the light. His emotions running high in general, but mainly in regards to issues that he had been unable to deal with since his previous year being the main thing discussed. Something that said leader apparently was disappointed in.

But for once Harry's day seemed it wasn't only going to be bad. Next Harry found out that his friend Neville was still most assuredly his friend, even after the news that his animagus form was that of a white basilisk. Whether it was an actual albino basilisk or simply that colour due to the nature of the spell that McGonagall had used was unknown. Either way the majority of the students started calling him once more 'the heir of Slytherin' and other such monikers.

The Boy-who-lived was also lucky in finding out, just how his so called best friends felt about him when they thought he wasn't there to defend himself.

Then Harry's day took a turn for the best, his charms work being so good he was awarded 20 points and invited to a conversation after class. In which Flitwick enlightened Harry to his mother being something called a charms protégé. Though just as Harry was about to learn exactly what that was, was interrupted by Professor Flitwicks next class.

Causing him to have to run along with Neville, who had waited, to herbology. If it wasn't for a shortcut Harry remembered from the marauders map he was sure they'd have been late.

Shortcut or no, they made it in time. Upon arriving they were just in time to hear Ron being berated by Madam Sprout about not shouting in her greenhouses. From what Harry and Neville could gather, Ron and Hermione had been in yet another argument. One which most likely got heated enough for raised voices.

Harry and Neville both knew from experience, having sometimes paired up in the gardening class, that when someone spoke too loudly for the friendly head of house Hufflepuff tastes, they didn't stay that way. Either points, a detention or simply made to leave the greenhouses until next time.

This time, it was in fact the latter. Ending with Ron being ushered out of the greenhouse by an annoyed Professor Sprout.

While Neville and Harry both settled themselves at a workbench, Harry simply following Neville. The greenhouse and to be perfectly honest, herbology in general being the young Longbottom's area of expertise.

After a quick review of what they'd been studying last year, the class soon got underway with some Tentacular saplings. Admittedly Harry was a little freaked out with the plants, the way whenever he got close to them they'd try and grab hold of him. Neville didn't seem to mind; in fact he seemed to tickle the branches that reached for him. And in turn the branches seemed to like the attention they received.

However, there was something or in this case someone, who wanted some attention. A certain bushy haired witch stormed over to where Harry was standing, a most furious look on her face. A grimace which did not compliment or make her look pretty in any way what so ever.

Harry however, was determined to nip, what he assumed was going to be a lecture, in the butt, so started talking just as Hermione's mouth opened. "Before you start a speech on my childish behaviour as you called it earlier," Hermione was quickly left with her mouth hanging open whilst her face turned bright red in indignation. "Let me say that if you really want to lose my friendship more than you already have, then continue as you are."

Just as the usually smart witch was about to open her mouth to retaliate with some retort, Harry cut her off again, not quite finished. "However... if you wish to mend bridges and put our issues behind us, then for now you should leave. Let things settle, be civil and give us both a chance for emotions to calm down."

Thankfully before the bushy haired girl could find her ability to speak once again, Professor Sprout waddled over to check what was going on "is something the matter over here? Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Potter."

Neville surprisingly, was the one to diffuse the tense situation, "Nothing's wrong Professor, Hermione was simply asking us a question."

At hearing this, the head of Hufflepuff smiled widely and ushered Hermione away from her star student. "Whilst I'm sure Neville would be able to help easily Miss Granger, I'd be glad to help with any question you might come up with."

Harry turned to his plant obsessed friend and smiled, thanking him profusely before following the instructions that Professor Sprout had given them at the beginning. Whilst Herbology wasn't Harry's favourite lesson, there was something relaxing about getting your hands in some compost and helping plants grow. Though there was most certainly a distinct difference between being forced to tend to his aunt petunia's rose garden and a bush that was known for being grabby.

* * *

The rest of Herbology was relatively uneventful, the only thing that piqued Harry's interests, was Hermione's hair being grabbed and pulled by her sapling. But even then his little bout of laughter wasn't enough to cheer his mood up after he realised what their next class of the day was.

Eventually despite his own aversion of the subject, Neville managed to drag the reluctant Boy-who-lived towards potions. Where after a quick sprint at the end, made it in time before Snape slammed the door in Harry's face.

Slipping into a seat next to his friend that he'd spent most of the day with cheered him up somewhat, knowing he wouldn't have to deal with the greasy git completely on his own.

Though he couldn't help but remember just how he managed to join the class despite his lack of required grade.

_Harry had finally finished all of his chores for the day for his uncle and was just about to fall asleep after having fallen face first into his pillow when Fawkes, Dumbledores phoenix flashed into his bedroom. At first Harry blinked at it for a minute before realising there was two letters, grasped in its talons._

_Reaching forward, Harry took the envelopes slowly from Fawkes's grip whilst stroking the beautiful bird with his other hand, resulting in a soft trill like melody. Music with ultimately calmed him for whatever was about to result from the letter._

_Almost immediately flashing back to wherever it came from after it deemed its task completed. Leaving Harry to open the first of the two letters in the room alone._

_Surprisingly Harry in fact found two separate letters in the same envelope._

_ '**Dear Harry**,_

_If it is convenient to you, I shall call at number four, Privet  
Drive this coming Friday at eleven P.M. to escort you to the  
Burrow, where you have been invited to spend the remainder of your school holidays.  
If you are agreeable, I should also be glad of your assistance  
in a matter to which I hope to attend on the way to the  
Burrow. I shall explain this more fully when I see you.  
Hoping to see you this Friday._

_I am yours most sincerely,_

**_Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore._**_'_

_Harry took a few moments to re read the letter, paying only a small amount of time thinking over any reason why the man would finally seem to show an interest in his life._

_Looking at the second letter Harry was surprised that it was his OWL results. With everything that had happened, he'd completely forgotten about them._

_'**Dear Mr. Potter**,_

_Enclosed you will find your OWL results for the 1995-1996 Hogwarts school year. Where applicable, grades are listed as Theory – then Practical – then Overall – with your Class Rank in parenthesis (out of 40 students)._

_Astronomy – E – A – E (18th)_

_Care of Magical Creatures – O – O – O (1st)_

_Charms – E – O – O (3rd)_

_Defence Against Dark Arts – O – O+ – O+ (1st) Highest Recorded Score_

_Divination – A – A – A (12th)_

_Herbology – E – O – O (8th)_

_History of Magic – T (40th)_

_Potions – A – E – A (10th)_

_Transfiguration – E – O – O (7th)_

_Congratulations Mr. Potter on receiving 8 OWLS. You can take any OWL classes available, and have qualified for the following NEWT level subjects: Astronomy, COMC, Charms, DADA, Divination, and Transfiguration. Please select a minimum of four, but up to six classes from the following page and return to your Headmaster._

_Sincerely,_

**_Griselda Marchbanks, CEO_**

**_Chief Examinations Officer'_**

_After reading his results, with a smile, he realised that despite the fact that Umbridge was trying to completely ruin most of the students' education, he'd still managed to take first place, as well as breaking a record of some kind. He'd most certainly keep the DA open this coming year. Before moving onto the 3rd letter, he noticed a note stuck on the back of his OWL results. _

**_'Dear Harry,_**

_You will be most pleased to note that after a brief discussion with Professor Snape, he's agreed to allow you to take remedial potions class on a Wednesday evening, as well as NEWT level potions. I'm sure you'll have no trouble. Make your best effort._

_Yours most sincerely,_

**_Albus Dumbledore._**_'_

_Harry was confused though after reading. Snape had repeated over and over again that anything less than an E in the OWL results would result in a failure. So why had Dumbledore gotten him in. Why had Snape allowed it? Not to mention he did certainly not want to spend any time in that class when he didn't have to. And he didn't have to, until Dumbledore stepped in. One thing was certain, he'd not be attending remedial lessons._

_Harry's anger at the headmaster was growing by the day._

_The 3rd letter was left almost forgotten on his desk. The wax seal of Gringotts left forgotten and unbroken until he'd calmed down and opened it to another set of letters._

"10 points from Gryffindor for dosing off in my class potter. If you didn't wish to be a part of the class then you shouldn't have gone crying to Dumbledore about it." Came a quick and decisive shout, the sneer that Professor Snape was sending in Harry's direction unmistakably full of hatred.

Despite knowing better than to aggravate the greasy git, Harry wasn't about to let him call him a cry baby, especially when he didn't even want to take the class. "First off Snivelus, I didn't want to take this NEWT course. I'd rather be having a nice free period. Secondly, the only reason I'd cry in regards to you, is having to be in your ugly presence. Now shut up and teach the class. Unless of course you want to dock me a hundred points, give me a detention, which we both know I won't attend, or I can give you a black eye to go with that knee to the groin."

To say the class was speechless would have been an understatement. Both Snape and Hermione were fuming, for different but similar reasons of course. Hermione because of the way he'd spoken to a teacher. Even to Snape, talking back to a person of authority was treason in Hermiones eyes. And Snape because of the way Harry had spoken to him in his own classroom, undermining his authority and bringing up what had happened earlier on the train platform. He'd spoken to Dumbledore about it and was assured it would be taken care of, but obviously he hadn't gotten around to it yet.

When the black haired Deatheater finally got his power of speech back he pointed towards the door and shouted at the top of his lung capacity to get out. To which Harry was most happy to comply with for once.

Picking up a book from the desk, not realising at the time that he'd not gotten any books out of his bag, and storming out, only once the door slammed did the class erupt into thunderous applause.

Harry was able to hear his name being chanted all the way up to and out of the dungeons where the potions class was situated. Only once he was surrounded by nothing but silence did Harry realise he had nowhere in specific to go. He was supposed to have a double potions lesson and then lunch. Without Neville to suggest anything, he eventually decided to head to the great hall and get ahead on his homework whilst waiting for lunch.

* * *

AN: I'm aware that my schedule for harry is a bit long, but theres no specific template for a hogwarts day. So I'm gunna claim that this is a usual first day back. If anyone has information they think might be useful, it'd be apreciated!


	6. Chapter Six: The friend and the farce

AN: I do not own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

AN: Sorry it took so long to upload. Had some personal issues to deal with. Dealt with mainly now so shouldn't be an issue anymore. Just want to point out, that yes it's going rather slow, mainly showing a single day so far. But I'm trying to show what I'm changing and how it's affecting everything. I'm setting the scenes before I start adding in purely unique and original things that will either be taken well, or flamed horribly. Which for the record, I will simply delete. No flames.

If you don't like, don't read. That simple.

Enjoy, rate and review!

* * *

Chapter Six: The friend and the farce.

After arriving in the great hall, and seating himself down on one of the many empty benches. Harry couldn't help but realise just how long his day was going it felt like an entire week of issues had passed him by, but in reality it was of course only along the lines of three lessons worth.

Despite his decision to get a head start on his homework that he'd already managed to accumulate, homework he would usually put off till the night before it was needed to be handed in, he was soon interrupted. "Harry," upon looking up he was surprised to find someone he didn't expect. Though, there was only a few students with such red hair, he simply didn't think that Ginny would be the first person from the group argument, to be the first to attempt talking to him in a civil way. Though, it always had been Ginny in the past that managed to adapt the quickest. As well as the fact the argument she'd put forth during the incident at the train platform, in retrospect had seemed half hearted and more for show, than actually containing any heat. Not that it hurt any less.

"Ginny, don't you have class." The reply from Harry was not what Ginny had expected her fellow Gryffindor reaction to be. She'd gotten to know Harry better over the years. Partly from the amount of time he spent at the burrow. But mainly from the tales that she'd hear being told about the boy-who-lived, from reliable sources, such as Ron and Hermione, who in Ginny's opinion, were maybe not as reliable as they had once seemed to be. And of course the rumour mill that Hogwarts was somewhat famous for.

"Sort of, Luna fainted during our Herbology lesson. Apparently she has an extreme allergic reaction to bees. Someone claimed one had wandered into the greenhouse to get out of the cold and landed on her shoulder. Either way, I offered to take her to the infirmary and was on my way back." The youngest Weasley explained, the red hair her family was famous for being draped delicately over her ears, something Harry had trouble taking his eyes off of.

He couldn't explain it but over the years, Harry couldn't help but take notice of Ginny. He knew that Ron had made multiple comments about his opinion on his younger sister and boys. So Harry was well aware of the uproar he'd cause if anything was to happen. And with his hormones going whack, he made sure not to let himself be the possible cause for that uproar.

"Well if you see her before me, give her my regards." Harry's statement, whilst not exactly cold, was cautious and calculating, a tone which Harry had been working on during the summer.

With the failure of saving his godfather, Harry was glad that he'd had enough brains to purchase an Occlumency book from a flourish and blotts catalogue. He was more than simply determined not to let another incident occur. That meant that with his sessions with Snape ended after one particular incident, he took it upon himself to teach himself the noble art of defending one's mind. Having much more luck when actually given instructions. Another thing that he could blame on Dumbledore, or at least in his opinion.

"I'll make sure to do that, but I had heard that you fainted in one of the corridors and was brought to Madam Pomfrey. I was hoping I would also have been able to talk to you." Upon finishing her statement, Harry noticed her eyes falling downwards. Even he could tell that she felt guilty.

"I was wondering when you would. Well I'm here and I've got a free period til lunch."

After silence for a moment, in which Harry could see the cogs seemingly whirling in the girls head she asked a question that he was sure would bite him in the butt soon. "Hang-on. I thought you and Hermione had potions with Snape?"

"I did, but I felt my skill of pissing the greasy git might be rusty, upon a brief test, I found they were sharper than ever. I've now got many more free periods than I know what to do with."

At the explanation the youngest Weasley couldn't help but laugh loudly, her giggle echoing through the empty hall. "I bet Hermione was fuming as much as the grease ball himself."

"That would be an accurate guess. Though except those two, I left the room to a standing ovation." Despite himself Harry couldn't help but chuckle as well, a smirk tugging his lips. After his laughter ended however, he sorely missed the sound of his two friends laughing at his sides.

It was the redheaded girl, who had sat opposite him that was the one to break the ice that had settled after the pleasantries had worn off. "Look Harry, I'll cut to the chase. I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I didn't mean anything that I'd said really. It was conditioning. And I know how stupid that probably sounds but, from living with my mother my whole life, you get used to hearing how great Dumbledore is, Dumbledores word is practically law in our house. But in reality, unlike others, I wouldn't do what he says just because of who he is. What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry about what I said and I hope that we can continue being friends."

After a few minutes in silence, Harry truly took every word in that the girl had said. He knew what she explained was true; anything negative about Dumbledore was pretty much universally met with the same reaction. People who in fact didn't like him any much more than Harry did were still reacting the same way. And Harry couldn't help but feel stupid for not noticing it before.

Though that was a different discussion for a different time. The end result now, being the Weasley female in front of him, patiently waiting to hear whether she was forgiven or not.

"Ginny, I'd be glad to have you as my friend. I understand what you're saying completely. Heck, I'd have been in your place this time last year."

At this the young redhead leaned over the table to give Harry an almost bone breaking hug. Apparently it was the answer that she's most needed to hear.

"Though of course this time last year, you'd have been kicked out of an Umbitch lesson." Was the reply after the hug which Harry would silently claim was eerily reminiscent of Molly Weasley.

After another bout of laughter Harry noticed someone enter the hall, it wasn't until they were closer that he recognised the hunched over figure of Filch. And despite not seeing his cat anywhere, was sure Mrs. Norris was around somewhere.

"What are you two doing out of class? You'll be serving a detention as soon as a Professor hears about this."

"I don't have a class right now thanks to Snape and my friend was on her way back from the infirmary. Both doing nothing deserving of detentions. So unless you have something else to say why don't you go clean something."

After resembling a fish opening and closing its mouth for a couple of seconds, he soon got another sneer plastered on his face. "How dare you talk to me like that Potter, I'll have you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons."

"And we both know that won't happen either. Now I'm sure you've got something of importance to say or you would be off playing house with your cat if you didn't."

To say Ginny was surprised by Harry's new personality would have been an understatement; it was one thing to hear an emotional outburst on the train station. Especially after all that the boy-who-lived had been through. Or talking back to someone like Snape, who everyone wished they had the courage to do. But to hear it said as calmly and coldly as he had, were both extremely funny, and a little bit cause for concern. Either way, she couldn't help but feel that she liked the new Harry Potter.

Instead of snapping another punishment threat, something which in and of itself was an achievement to obtain from the grouchy man. Filch instead threw a piece of parchment on the floor at Harrys feet and left the room storming.

Instantly causing both teens to laugh at his retreating form.

Realising she really should get back to her Herbology class. She knew her partner would be needing help. Their spine spitting shrub would be acting up the moment she wasn't stroking it, but Luna needed her more.

"I really should get back. I'm sure my partner will probably be looking like a pincushion by now," when all she received was a raised eyebrow she quickly elaborated, "spine spitter shrub."

Receiving a silent mouth movement of 'ah' in reply she smiled, waved and left in the direction of the greenhouses. In a much happier mood than when she left.

* * *

Shortly after watching ginny leave, Harry took the opportunity to read the note, his happy demeanour disappearing immediately.

Packing his things up, he deliberately slowly, made his way towards Dumbledores office. Grumbling the entire way to the gargoyle, which before Harry had a chance to start guessing the password for, passed aside and rose up. The magical equivalent of an elevator.

Before he could knock on the door, he heard Albus's cheery voice call from the other side. "Come in Harry."

Sighing and putting up what little amount of Occlumency shields he did have, strolled into the room as if he liked the man.

"Take a seat Harry, lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered with his most grandfatherly tone he could muster, his customary twinkle in his eye flickering away like a firework. Something which according to his books he bought is the sign of a combination of compulsion charms and Legilimency. He knew it wasn't a normal twinkle. '_Damn the old man and his tricks, how many years had he been doing that to me? Or other students?'_

"No thank you sir." Was the strained but still polite reply that Harry managed upon remembering not to look the old man directly in the eyes. "Is there something in specific you wanted to punish me for?"

"Now Harry my boy, what makes you think I'm going to punish you?" the twinkle going overboard. Of course Harry knew the old fart knew exactly what the answer was. Harry, despite his glasses was far from blind, he could see a piece of parchment on the headmaster's desk, in what Harry recognised as Snapes usual chicken scratching.

The Gryffindor golden boy however, was far from letting the conversation go easy. Gone were the times when he would play Dumbledores little games.

"Maybe because Snapes an idiot who can't let go of his past. And I just happened to remind him why he hates me?"

"Professor Snape, Harry. And the issue of your conversation with Professor Snape is one of the things I wanted to discuss with you." His tone still that of an old man wanting to help.

"Far as I'm concerned, that man is not a Professor of mine." Harry's reply came quick and calm despite his dislike for the man.

"Harry my boy, I understand you two don't always see eye-to-eye but I trust him and so should you."

"Personally I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. And if he was worthy of your trust he'd have left his issues in the past. If you wasn't forcing him to teach me I'm sure things would have been better off."

"Harry, both Severus and I discussed that you need to continue taking potions, and despite today's confrontation, in which I'll talk to him about once he finishes with his class. I'm sure will continue as planned. Though I had hoped my friend Horace could have taken the position so this might not have happened, but alas, potions are still available to you."

"Actually sir, I don't see myself being a potions master in the future nor do I care very much for being in Snapes presence. Nor he mine I'm sure. I'll find something more fitting of my time." Despite the calmness in harry's tone his feelings were anything but, the only thing he kept thinking about was the man's visit during the summer. That and his constant meddling.

_Harry was in the middle of chores, when he heard the doorbell ring. His uncle being as lazy as he was, shouted for Harry to get it. Groaning at being disturbed when he was nearly finished, Harry fled down the stairs to try and get whatever it was done quickly._

_Opening the door Harry was however surprised to find Dumbledore stood on the other side, wearing his normal set of blue wizarding robes, not even bothering to try and blend in._

_"How are you, my boy?" The headmaster asked loudly and happily in his usual grandfatherly tone. _

_Harry struggled to find an appropriate answer. But ushered the man in regardless._

_Thankfully his uncle was busy watching something on TV and so no shouting came from the living room. Maybe he recognised Dumbledores voice for some reason and knew not to interrupt. Maybe he just simply didn't care. Either way, Harry wasn't going to advertise the fact he'd let a one of the most important magical people into the house. After a second of silence, he got back to the question at hand._

_"I'm grieving, professor." Harry replied after a while._

_He didn't want to talk to Dumbledore any more than he had to. He needed a leader, not a kind old man to share personal conversations with, and Harry doubted he'd be able to continue keeping his temper under control during that intense of a conversation._

_"May I ask why you are visiting Privet Drive?" Harry prompted, remembering the vague letter Dumbledore had sent him. And the reply he'd sent back in return._

_"I have a favour to ask of you Harry, though I admit I've already asked too much of you as it is." The headmaster started. Harry matched Dumbledore's gaze seriously, despite the warnings in his occulamancy books not to._

_"Yes, Professor?" Harry prompted. 'Asking for a favour from me after what he's responsible for? What a joke!' he thought angrily. But listened on regardless._

_"Well, as you know, Hogwarts needs a new Defence against the Dark Arts professor. I have been working for months now to get a Mr. Horace E. Slughorn to come out of retirement to take over the potions class, but he has refused me. He wishes to stay in hiding you see, though I have repeatedly managed to convince him that he would be quite safe at Hogwarts."_

_"Why do you need me?" Harry asked, knowing he was not going to help in any way, for whatever reason, regardless. Besides, if they were replacing Snape, and it was no secret what job the greasy git wanted.. well, that's a no already, if his workings out were correct._

_"Well you see, I was hoping to show Slughorn that he could once again do great things as a professor. We are becoming quite desperate to fill our Defence position. You see, I've known for years now that Slughorn has a bit of an affinity for the famous and powerful, nothing dangerous, but enough that you could be of great help to me."_

_Harry felt his rage rumble beneath his grief once more. Barely containing himself from using specific words that his cousin Dudley would most likely even blush at._

_"No professor, I will not go with you." Harry responded coldly and calmly._

_ "Harry, my boy-"_

_"I will not be used, professor." Harry enunciated. He felt his annoyance roar up. He pushed his anger back under his control, congratulating himself for having controlled it so well, especially when after his previous discussion with the supreme mugwump ended with him destroying various trinkets and baubles in the headmasters' office._

_Needless to say Harry was finished with the conversation, before giving the white bearded old man another chance to speak he decided to end it so he could get back to his room. "Thank you for visiting, Professor." Harry responded carefully, before glancing slightly towards the door in which he opened._

_"Harry, I'm not only here to ask for your help with Slughorn, you know. I can apparate you to the Weasleys on my way out; they would be overjoyed to see you." Dumbledore mentioned, repeating his offer from the letter._

_"No, thank you, professor. I believe I already sent you my reply in regards to that offer. " Harry answered immediately. At the moment, he preferred the idea of being alone with his thoughts rather than in the crazy hustle and bustle of the burrow._

_"The Weasleys are happy to open their home to you, Harry." Dumbledore said and flickered his eyes from Harry to the larger boy behind him who was walking back up the stairs upon seeing the man in the funny clothes._

_"I know." Harry said._

_'After all these years, he's now going to let me? Bullshit. Is he trying to control me yet again? Well no way!' Harry thought, and felt real anger threaten his control again._

_"You want to stay here?" Dumbledore pressed, sounding surprised, though perfectly polite._

_Harry in reply simply nodded._

_"You wish to remain here, Harry?" Dumbledore repeated, looking strangely pleased. The act of repeating himself only working to fuel Harry's anger even more._

_"Yes." Harry replied tight lipped, trying to hide his desire to slam the door in the old man's face._

_Thankfully, Harry's uncle Vernon decided that he wanted the freaky old man gone, so chose that moment to shout from the other room to slam the door and get back to chores. Dumbledore, whilst disliking the words Harry's guardian chose, smiled politely in Harrys direction, a twinkle in his eye like normal and walked himself out. Slowly making his way down the road, where Harry could only guess he would apparate from._

_Once up in his room, the silence only managed to fuel Harry's anger. So badly had he wanted to curse the old man. When literally in the same house, actually hearing the abuse he had to put up with, simply smiled and walked off without saying a thing to change it._

_Dumbledore had forced him to stay with Petunia for years, even though the 'wise mentor' had known that he'd been mistreated, had seen as he'd entered the Great Hall that first time that he was smaller than the rest of the first years._

_'I was so fucking malnourished that it affected my growth.'_

_Harry had been thrilled beyond words that first Christmas that even he had gifts, he'd felt more joy than he'd ever had in his life that night._

_He'd loved Mrs. Weasley instantly for letting him speak at the table and smiling at him and calling him 'dear', because a hug was enough to earn all of his loyalty. She'd gained his love in minutes, and that didn't happen to happy, normal children. Happy normal children didn't cling to random adults like that and thanks to Dumbledore, Harry had had to accept that he'd been one of those miserable children that adults called "neglected" and "abused". Because only neglected children craved affection and love that much._

_He'd figured it out in third year, after Sirius had offered him a new place to stay, and he'd thought for a few precious hours that he didn't have be neglected or abused anymore. And that single thought had opened the levee, and he'd been flooded with thoughts and memories that wouldn't leave him alone until he'd accepted it, that he was one of those children the NSCCP made commercials about, the children that were locked in cupboards and cursed out and hit over the head with frying pans and abused, and fuck, Harry had hated thinking of himself like that._

_And he'd had to, because fucking Professor Dumbledore had left him with the Dursleys._

_Dumbledore left his precious "one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord" in a fucking basket with a blanket and a note in November on a doorstep with Death Eaters still at large and the war still very much a happening thing, and then had the audacity to think Harry didn't recognize the fact that he'd been left in Hell by the man._

_'Heh, shite, I literally went to hell in a hand basket.'_

_The single amusing thought did wonders to cheer him up sometimes._

Despite not having quite finished discussing things with the young man in his office, Dumbledore was interrupted when his floo flared up to the side of the room. "I'm sorry Harry that yet again we're unable to finish our talk. Rest assured I'll have a message with instructions sent along with regards to what we've spoken about."

"Yes Professor Dumbledore." Intent on getting out of the office Harry was quick to rise to his feet, causing the chair he sat in to scuff along the floor causing an unpleasant noise, and strolled out of the room, slamming his door on the way out, unintentionally of course.

'the day I go back to potions is the day Snapes dead. Not a day sooner.' He thought whilst making his way to the grand hall, his stomach growling like a dragon the entire way there.

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AN: Hope you enjoy, this is where I start making things more unique.


	7. Chapter Seven: Books and Shields

AN: I do not own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

AN: I realise I've been quiet for a while, but if you look back, 'ive been making some slight rewrites to the fic. Please read, it makes things much better. I had some personal issues.. still issues, but regardless, i'm back and enjoy the latest chapter.

Enjoy, rate and review!

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Chapter Seven: Books and Shields

It hadn't taken Harry long to get to the grand hall. And it seemed like it only took a few seconds due to the thoughts running through his head.

Unfortunately checking the time, by use of the tempus charm, a spell which caused numbers signifying the time to spurt out of the end of one's wand tip, he found he still had about an hour and 27 minutes before potions ended and lunch would begin.

The first day back, classes were many and numerous. Weeks following wouldn't follow the same schedule. So hopefully the same day next week, Harry wouldn't be as busy and have more free time. Though with his intent never to return to potions again, he would have even more free time than his fellow students.

With his free time, and his stomach growling, he sat himself down in the same seat he'd taken before his trip to the headmasters' office. Lifting his bag with his books in, he started searching for his transfiguration book, but picked out a book he didn't remember buying during his diagon alley trip.

Pulling the dark, dust covered book out of his bag, he wiped it down with the sleeve of his coat and blinked in confusion. "ADVANCED POTION-MAKING By Tiberius Borage"

"but I didn't buy a potions book." He boy said to himself out loud.

Shaking his head, Harry was unsure of what to do. He didn't buy it, and certainly didn't pack it in his things. As far as Harry was concerned it had appeared out of nowhere. Knowing that for an hour at least, no one would be strolling into the room for their meal, gave Harry the security of knowing he wouldn't be interrupted.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on what his Occlumency books called, his inner mind, and upon opening his eyelids, was sat at a plush armchair in a library centred room.

From everything he read over the summer about the defensive mind arts, he kept coming across the same thing, a central nexus of the information that he possessed, even if he'd only seen something once, with proper maintenance, it was supposed to be a simple and easy way of recalling anything. After a couple of hard meditation sessions and visualising the nexus of his knowledge as a 'physical room', he'd found himself in the seat he was in then.

With something he could associate with physically, he could really get to work. After he'd mastered being able to enter and leave the room at will, he'd moved onto the next phase of organising everything into a system. Despite what Hermione used to say during their many study sessions, mainly revolving around his lack of intelligence. The fact of the matter was, he was very smart. He simply lacked motivation for the non practical magic's.

When he'd lost Sirius, needless to say, the motivation was there in abundance. For a long time during the summer, he felt that if he'd been more studious, if he'd mastered Occlumency, then his godfather would still be alive. It took even longer for him to drill into his own head that it wasn't his fault.

Snape wasn't teaching him Occlumency, he was simply taking his opportunity to mentally torture the Potter heir. And Dumbledore did nothing about it. Yet another thing, he blamed on Dumbledore.

Shaking his head mentally, at the lost track of thought, he walked over to a green velvet covered mahogany desk to the side of the room. The desk holding various sheets and parchments. The sheets and parchments being memories and thoughts, scrolls that held moving pictures to go along with them. It didn't take him long to organise them in order of when they happed and then slowly added mental labels to everything, detailing the gist of what they covered.

Once he had organised everything, surprisingly more than he thought would be there for only four hours, he unrolled one scroll in particular, the moment he opened it, the room shooting by like a blur till it settled on the scene from earlier in the potions lab. Watching himself in third person calmly dress down the greasy git brought a smile to the young Gryffindor. Snape had far more coming to him along the way, but seeing a good verbal beat down was just what Harry needed to cheer himself up. Finishing the memory upon having made his way out the room, he realised what had happened.

He'd accidently picked up the potions book that had been left on his desk. Despite not intending to take the class, he decided to keep the book. Even if he didn't use it, it would certainly piss a certain black haired teacher off to no end. And Dumbledores manipulations into allowing Harry into the class could be used for his advantage. Obviously the old man wanted it known that Harry was in potions class for some reason.

Despite his Hogwarts and Voldemort issues he needed to take care of, he had originally been aiming to become an Auror. An ambition that was wiped away when he found out he'd required a NEWT level potions pass. With Snape having declared on multiple occasions that anything less than an exceeds expectations or outstanding in their owls, would prohibit anyone from taking the newt level course. Dumb-old-dork had circumvented that. Meaning that, he could read the book, whilst never attending a lesson, which no matter the circumstances; Dumbledore seemed to be adamant he be seen to be a part of. He could take his NEWT's at the ministry when Fudge is kicked out of office and get his results without ever having to be in a Snape room again.

Dumbledores manipulations being used to Harry's advantage. He was so glad that he had taken to thinking things through. He'd been such a foolishly brave Gryffindor before. He was adamant to be better.

Shaking his head, to yet again break his train of thought, which had taken to wondering lately, he placed the scrolls, parchments and sheets into the correct slots of his library, his own form of dewey decimal filing system at work. Something that he figured might slow down any mind intruders down. The Potter heir then concentrated on placing titanium bricks down along the foundation he'd laid down after his first two shields were up.

His first shield was the hardwood and stone panels that made up the walls, ceilings and floors of his mental construct. The outside of his room being covered in sharpened sticks for impalement. The second shield being a deep moat with Gwyndolows and Crocodiles in it. His wall he was currently in the process of building would hopefully end up as a 9 foot titanium brick wall. The height working in two ways. If someone entered his mind they'd have to take on a physical body of sorts. As physical as a mental attacker could be at least. And have to either try and knock the wall down, which being made of his mental titanium should withstand a bit of battery. Or resort to climbing over, thereby falling into the moat or jumping over to land on the first defence of death by impalement.

As far as Harry was concerned. He was going to try and defend from so many different angles, he'd be safe to counterattack and either take some information for himself, or simply break the entire connection in the first place.

Was a work in progress of course, but after a mental alarm signifying the passing of an hour and ten minutes, Harry mentally wiped his brow of sweat and returned to the real world to do the same. Just in time for the first sets of students who must have gotten let out early.

Looking at the book in front of him, the black haired sixth year packed it away and waited for the house elves to make the lunch appear.

His attention taken by the feast that appeared in front of him. He failed to realise a blonde haired female and a blonde haired male having been sat two tables behind him from about 30 minutes into his occulamancy session.

The two in Slytherin colours looking at each other and whispering, "Must be soon. He's already started to notice."

"I'm aware of that D, but not yet. Soon though, soon we'll approach him."

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AN: I realise it's short, one of the shortest, but I've been revising, and I had to do something to get back into the roll of it, deal with it or dont read.


	8. Chapter Eight: Lunch, an idiot and there

AN: I do not own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

AN: Sorry it took so long to upload. It's not easy to get back into the writing spirit, when your own government wishes for you to become a hobo. As most of you who's reading this can see, things that has diverged, are starting to take more prominent ripples. The original parts of my fic are coming very soon. And I'm aware OC's aren't always that welcomed, but it was stated in the description. As well as the Ron and Hermione bashing. So don't bother making any unkind remarks in reviews. Which for the record, I will simply delete. No flames.

If you don't like, don't read. It's that simple. Anyway! Onto the fic!

Enjoy, rate and review!

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Chapter Eight: Lunch and an idiot

With people piling into the hall in varying numbers and groups, the volume rose steadily, making it almost deafening to Harry who had been sat in silence for about an hour at least. Unable to pick any singular voices down, Harry remained seated and watched as pitchers of pumpkin juice, water and other drinks, as well as all sorts of food appearing on the tables. Large trays of chicken legs, barbeque ribs, mashed potato, corn cobs and other equally mouth-watering foodstuffs appearing all up the tables.

Looking down at his plate, Harry was surprised to see what seemed to be a muggle sticky note attached to his plate. A hastily scrawn note reading; "Master Harry Potter. As you seems to be having a bad days so far, Dobby has taken the liberty of preparing Harry Potters favourite desert. All one must do is clap ones hand when ready and treacle tart will appear." A surprisingly elegant signature of 'Dobby' adjourning the bottom of the note.

Smiling widely to himself, not particularly caring if he looked sort of mad, he mouthed a thank you to the note before stuffing it into his pocket and piling some bacon, sausages, eggs and a freshly baked roll onto his plate. Pouring himself a goblet full of water, pumpkin juice not being his favourite, he silently reflected on thanking the gods for giving him a moment's reprieve from the troubles that kept finding him.

Troubles, that having not seen him already sat down, passed him and took seats halfway up the table. The bushy haired trouble's mouth moving at phenomenal speeds whilst the male troubles face turning as red as his hair.

The gods must have liked him at that moment, for they also gave Harry the gift of Neville sitting down at his side.

"You alright there, Harry?"

"Alright thanks Nev, how was potions after I left?"

"Fantastic actually, Snape was so furious at what you said, he was silent the entire lesson, didn't move from his desk, course he wrote a note and had Draco take it up to Professor Dumbledore, I'm assuming you'll be in trouble soon. But I can't help but say I wish I had your courage to say that."

After a short bout of laughter from the two boys the Potter heir slapped his friend on the shoulder and smiled. "I'm sure you've got enough courage. And I already saw Dumbledore," he started, being careful not to say anything too rude about the old geezer til he knew what Neville's opinion was, "apparently I'm still welcome in potions despite what happened. Not that I'll be going of course."

In response Neville just made an unintelligible noise and started digging into his own plate of food. Harry soon copying the Longbottom heir and filling his stomach with his grub.

About 20 minutes into the meal, owls started swooping down to deliver the post. Hedwig jostling her way to be the first to land and deliver the stack of letters to her owner. Feeding his snowy familiar a rasher of bacon, Harry untied the three letters tied to her leg and petted her for a moment, trying to decide on whether to open them now or later.

Fate chose for him instead, having followed Hedwig, a large hawk-owl glided down from the rafters to deposit a folded parchment before flying back off the moment it's charge had dropped onto Harry's plate.

Inspecting the parchment for a moment, Harry quickly found it bearing the Gringotts crest. Unfortunately before Harry could open his mail, something else decided to swoop in. This time, of the redheaded variety.

"Harry mate, it's time this nonsense stops."

"Hello Ron, I'm fine, thanks for asking, what about you?" was the quick reply from Harry. Neville at his side snorting in a very un-gentleman like way.

Ron however, didn't hear what Harry had said; either simply brushing it aside or only able to hear the blood rushing to his face. Either way, Ron continued in his tirade he started.

"You're acting childish Harry, my family; Hermione and Dumbledore have been doing our best to help. And instead of being thankful you're simply brushing us aside and badmouthing us. So stop being an idiot and come sit with your friends."

Harry didn't have the words to reply to something so stupid, but he didn't have the chance to either, as Neville stood up in-between the two, holding his hands out in a placating way. "Actually, Ron it was you and Hermione being the ones that was badmouthing Harry earlier in McGonagall's class."

The famous Weasley temper rose its ugly head, Rons face turning even darker, "butt out of it Longbottom! This hasn't got anything to do with you; it's between Harry and his friends"

"Last I checked, Weasley. I was one of Harry's friends." Came the surprisingly calm reply from Neville. Surprising, because the redhead's shouting had not only caused the entire halls attention to fall on them, but droplets' of spit to land on the usually shy Gryffindors face.

"Well I'm his best mate, always have been!"

Whilst, enjoying silently the fact that Neville was standing up for him, publicly at that. Something that Ron did only on rare occasions in the past. He had enough with the shouting and rudeness.

Whistling loud enough to pull the two out of the verbal fight Harry decided it was time to shoot this issue in the bud, "Shut up and listen Ron. You were my best mate. The emphasis being past tense. I'm not saying our friendship meant nothing, because it kept me going sometimes. But we've had our issues, and there are more arguments than there are good times right now. I told Hermione, and I'll tell you. If you really want to lose my friendship more than you already have, then continue as you are," pausing to both catch his breath and stop for affect. The result being Ron's mouth opening to make a retort before Harry cut him off to finish, "Or ... if you wish to mend bridges and put our issues behind us, then for now you should go sit down. Let things settle, be civil and give us both a chance for emotions to calm down. And then we'll see if you can become my best mate again. Because as things stand right now, I'd rather be friends with Malfoy."

By the final part of harry little speech, two things happened; one, Ron recoiled as if he'd been physically struck. And the second thing, Draco stood up from his seat at the Slytherin table, choking on his food and shouting across the room that he'd rather be locked up in Azkaban. Causing many of the students to snicker at the Malfoy heirs words. Even a teacher or two, to smile. A mix between disappointment in Rons actions, and pride over Harry's handling of the situation, adjourning his head of houses face.

With his piece said, Harry picked up his mail and left the grand hall in silence. Neville following behind him in a rush to catch up. Once through the large doors, Neville only a few steps behind him, Harry stopped and took a deep breath to calm himself down. Neville stopping once at his side.

"Want to take me up on that offer now Harry?"

"Thanks Nev, I'd like that."

* * *

Wandering the corridors, just like the previous night, Harry was talking animatedly to his friend Neville. After the incident in the grand hall, the two had started walking. Harry getting things off his chest, mostly small talk about charms and transfiguration, and how idiotic his two friends had become.

Neville, mainly listening the entire time and adding comments when needed. Only when time was getting close for them to head towards their next class, did Harry realise he'd unintentionally made his way back to where he was the night before.

Holding his arm out to make Neville stop. He looked around and confirmed they were at the same place. Or at the very least, at the entrance to it. Straight ahead of them the corridor that Harry had traversed just the night before, to the left, a seemingly ordinary hallway leading to an obviously more used section of the castle. Obvious, due to the clean state of it "Hold on a minute Neville. Look around and tell me if you know where this corridor is, and where it leads to." Harry asked urgently whilst pointing to it.

Looking around in silence for a moment Neville turned toward Harry and looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Are you alright Harry?" Neville's, face full of concern.

Blinking in confusion at his friends' reaction Harry was unsure what he meant, "yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"I don't mean to sound rude Harry, but what corridor? That's a blank wall."

Shaking his head, completely unable to understand how Neville didn't see it, Harry rubbed his eyes for a moment, making sure they weren't playing a trick on him. But upon opening them and looking, the corridor was still there in all its creepiness.

"You can't see it Nev? It's right there?" the black haired boy said whilst walking a few steps closer to it and pointing repeatedly. It wasn't until he took a step further and felt a shiver pass over him, that Neville made any reaction at all.

"Harry!"

To Neville, Harry had seemingly passed through a stone wall as if he was a ghost. Running up to where Harry had gone through he started searching frantically for any sign of him. In reality, only a step in front of Harry who was watching in complete confusion.

Doing the only thing he could think of, Harry reached out and pulled Neville past the point he'd taken and into the corridor.

Obviously scaring the poor Longbottom heir, but also revealing the sight of the corridor to him at the same time.

"Harry, what.. happened?" asked Neville from his utterly confused position on the floor.

"I don't know Nev. I saw it just fine." Came Harry's reply whilst he offered a hand to lift his friend to his feet before walking over to a window and trying to peer out of the stained glass.

"Well I see it now too... where are we?"

"I'm not sure. I stumbled in here last night after lunch. I sort of got lost and just wandered in."

"I've never heard of any corridors that are invisible."

"Me either. But I tried walking down there. But I just ended up keep walking for what felt like hours and got nowhere." He said whilst pointing to the same flickering light at the end of the tunnel that he saw last night.

"So you just walked back out?"

"Not really, I sort of got stunned from behind and woke up in the hospital wing."

"Stunned? By who? And I don't like it in here Harry... can we please go?"

"Not sure who. And sure, of course. Just try and remember where this is, I want to come back again and figure out where this is exactly."

Almost immediately upon finishing his sentence, his friend had already walked a few steps out of the corridor and the way they came. Harry following shortly after. Rushing slightly when Harry preformed the time spell and found they were going to be late for history of magic.

And Harry couldn't stand the thought of missing the opportunity to learn about yet another goblin rebellion.

After five minutes of the two having left the hallway, a figure stepped out from a doorway halfway down, before re-entering where it came in silence.

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AN: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, review kindly!


	9. Chapter Nine: Reunion of old friends

AN: I do not own Harry Potter, Belongs to JK Rowling.

AN: Nothing much to say, but here's chapter 9.

If you don't like, don't read. It's that simple.

Enjoy, rate and review!

Chapter Nine: Re-union of old friends

Harry and Neville made it just in time for their history of magic class, not that Professor Binns would have noticed. Facing the black board at the front and drivelling on already about yet another goblin rebellion.

It wasn't until about halfway through the lesson, when Harry's thoughts, which were already wandering, and a battle of Gringotts was mentioned, that he remembered his letter from earlier. Left forgotten in one of his many pockets.

With the ghosts infamous behaviour of drawling on and on without noticing half his students asleep, Harry had no qualms about reaching into his cloak, pulling the letter in question out and breaking the wax seal. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, the Potter heir opened the envelope and unfolded the letter in his lap, reading it in silence to not arouse any attention to himself. Of course, the majority of the people around him, were either asleep, drowsing off, or somehow taking down notes like their lives depend on it, just like Hermione.

_'Dear Lord Harry Potter-Black,_

_Gringotts is writing to inform you, that upon the instructions you gave us since our correspondence at your godfathers will reading, all of your requests have been granted and the correct procedures carried out._

Due to the nature of the business, we require you to sign one last set of documents in person to fully set into affect the changes. Please send us a time and date when is suitable for you and we will arrange the meeting.  


_May your businesses flourish._

_Chief Gringotts manager, Ragnarok'_

Nodding to himself, Harry made a mental note to write a response later after his classes end. Doing his best not to doze off from the dull drawl that was emanating from the ghost at the front of the class, he for once in his entire time in history of magic, managed to keep himself awake, long enough to make a few lines of notes. Only noting things down that he hadn't already read ahead on, in his free time.

The rest of Harry's class went along smoothly. Besides the urge to take a nap being exceedingly strong.

When the students rose from their slumbers at the end of lesson, and started their sleep influenced stumble out of the classroom, Harry slid up against Neville and smiled at his friends eye rubbing.

"Bit tired there Nev?"

Receiving only a yawn in response, Harry just clapped the Longbottom heir on his back and chuckled. Ushering him along the same route as everyone else's slow crawl.

It wasn't until halfway there that Harry recognised where 'there' was. With the whole arguments with his so called friends, and Dumbledores manipulations, he'd completely forgotten about 'Defence Against The Dark Arts'. This brought up the next issue in Harry's mind. If he hadn't gone with Dumbledore to help him recruit 'Hornsnail' or whatever his name was, then who had he managed to saddle the job onto instead.

His answer was rather clear the moment he walked into the classroom. Of course, there's only one person Harry knew that could pull off pink hair. Though the brown haired man next to Tonks was also just as surprising.

"Tonk's, Remus!" he shouted whilst running from Neville's side to wrap his arms tightly around his uncle for all intents and purposes. Remus was more than happy to return the hug, clapping Harry on the back cheerfully.

"Good to see you too cub."

"Wotcher' Harry," Came the reply from the pink haired witch overlooking the two men hugging each other with a smile upon her face.

"Did you break the curse on the position? Is that how your back Remus?" Harry asked his voice full of confusion but happiness none the less.

"Not exactly, Tonk's here is actually the Professor. I'm just skirting around the curse by being classed as assistant Professor."

Tonk's, who was making herself busy by writing some introductions on the board, turned around at the sound of her name and smiled at the two brown haired wizards.

"Professor Tonk's at your service", came the pink haired witches reply before bowing overly dramatically.

Before Harry could ask anything else, or get into any conversations with the two, he was ushered to his seat just as the rest of the class filed in. Thankfully, Remus had ushered him to the seat next to Neville. An empty seat at the back between a pair of seemingly put out individuals. One with red hair and red face, the other with an oversized birds nest for a haircut and an ugly scowl on her face. Whether moony had heard of the issues he was having, or simply preoccupied with getting the class started, Harry was unsure of, but he was thankful none the less.

Class started off how Harry guessed it would when he saw Remus at the front of the class. First off he would introduce himself and Tonks, and answer a few questions regarding why he was back. Of course Malfoy had to make an issue out of Remus being a werewolf.

"You can't work around children, you're a dark creature. When my father hears about this..."

Before Draco could finish his sentence and before even Remus could say or do anything, Tonks, who had remained quiet for the introductions, shot a silencing curse at the pompous gits throat, both squeezing his vocal cords enough to ache and silencing any noise coming out of the blonde idiot. Affectively shutting him up until the spell was released. "There will be no blood purity bullshit in this classroom," cancelling the silence spell the pink haired witch continued, "and if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of your wanted father. Then please, feel free to share it with the class."

Receiving nothing but a glare and spluttering in response, Tonks's hair, which had turned a vibrant and angry red, cooled down to a bubbly pink, along with a bright smile upon her face as she turned around to write instructions on the board.

Mouthing a silent thank you to Tonks, Remus replied to Draco's earlier comment, "If I'm here Mr. Malfoy, then obviously Dumbledore convinced the board of Hogwarts differently. Now if you don't want to lose points and get a detention, then reframe from any and all derogatory comments."

The rest of the lessons went normal, or as normal as any lesson taught by Tonks could be, after Draco's verbal beat down in front of the class, questions regarding Tonks hair colour changing, spread like wildfire. After a brief explanation about being a Metamorphmagus, to which numerous females, were gawking over the idea to change themselves for the 'better'. The class got underway, an in depth description and demonstration of advanced shielding charms, spells which all who had been part of the DA, completed within the first 15 minutes.

The rest of the class, running smoothly. When the class had ended, and time for the evening meal came around, many students stayed behind to welcome back Remus and Tonks to the positions. The main body of students surrounding Tonks being of the male population. With one or two females in the mix.

With the class ended, and the others finally leaving, Harry patted his friend on the back and told him he'd meet him at lunch. Then proceeded to walk to the front and give Remus a hearty hug.

"It's so good to see you again Professor"

"Good to see you too Harry."

It didn't take long for the two men to get into a conversation, though nothing ever ventured into the important topics right away. Whether it was because of Tonks's presence or whether both just wanted things to remain light and happy in topic was unsure to Harry but either way he was happy to talk to someone.

During the re-union between the two wizards, Tonks set about cleaning up the blackboard and setting it up ready for the next class. Only occasionally adding a comment or two in regards to Remus's explanation of what he'd been doing since they last saw each other. Which Harry would later find out, the reason for Tonks knowing so much about the brown haired wizards adventures, being that they were dating. Something that immediately brought a large blush to the older man's face.

As far as Harry was concerned, Remus deserved some good in his life, having to live with the prejudices of being a werewolf was hard. More difficult than Harry could imagine.

So someone like Tonks would be perfect to cheer the old marauder up.

Soon Harry realised that he should let the two get back to their own plans, bidding his new professors back to Hogwarts, the Potter heir left the room and started walking. Was only five minutes after he'd left with no direction in mind did he really grasp the fact that he didn't have anywhere in specific to go. He had a free period for an hour until care of magical creatures, then a divination class, and finally astrology before curfew.

Sitting down on bench to the side of an empty corridor Harry tried making a plan for the rest of his day, only no matter what he did, he was unable to concentrate. But it seemed that concentrating was the least of Harry's problems. The sound of footsteps echoed along the corridor, as well as a familiar voice.

"How dare Potter say such things about us being friends. I'd rather be friends with Weasley than Saint Potter"

"Don't say such things Draco, that would be terrible."

"Your right pansy, I'd rather be friends with that know-it-all mudblood of his"

Harry not wanting to get into another confrontation with the pompous prince, racked his brain for a way of avoiding it. It was at that moment, wishing for a way of disappearing, when a nagging feeling in the back of his head almost whispered a spell to him. Disillusionment. A spell they were to learn this year. The black haired boy had of course read about it, but hadn't practised the wand movement, or anything of the charm just yet. And wasn't supposed to try for a couple of months into the curriculum, but when a tingly feeling reverberated through his head, he felt confident that he could make it work.

Seeing no other alternative, other than running, but from his guess of how close Draco was, they'd manage to see him before he could turn the closest corner. And of course then he'd never live it down. Boy-who-lives-runs-from-Malfoy.

Retrieving his wand from his pocket, he took a deep breath before twirling his wand around his shoulders before gently tapping the top of his head. The result being a cold wet feeling trickling down his back all the way to his feet. Resisting the urge to shiver, had never been so difficult for him.

Before he could look upon himself to be sure if the spell worked or not, he caught sight of Draco Malfoy and his lapdog, Pansy Parkinson turning the corner. Holding his breath almost, he watched in fascination as the two continued walking by his location without even noticing him being there. Wasn't until the two had walked to the end of the corridor and turned down another that he released a breath he didn't realise he was holding. Sagging into the bench, he looked down at himself and saw what the spell was supposed to do, whilst not one hundred percent invisible to himself, a faint outline of his former self, he'd be completely invisible to everyone else. At least as long as he stayed still or moved only very slowly.

Upon cancelling the charm with finite, warmth this time trickled down his back and to his feet, restoring his visibility completely.

Once he was visible again he dashed towards the Gryffindor common room. Getting more than halfway he slowed down and walked. His mind thinking over what had happened so far since lunch.

Firstly, Ron had made a public spectacle of their private issues. Naturally. And in front of the entire school at that. Meaning that whilst some heard more than others towards the beginning, the whole story would be out once Brown and Patil got their chance to grind it through the rumour mill. Something he was sure had occurred immediately after having left the hall.

Secondly with the help of Neville had managed to find the corridor again. Finding out in the process it seemed to be a solid wall at first, but only until after you've walked through. Quite amazing spellwork if Harry had to say so, also, if he had to hazard a guess, he'd say that there was possibly compulsion charms to compel whoever entered, to turn around and leave. Whoever or whatever was in that corridor, didn't want people in there.

Thirdly, after the corridor, both of them made a dash to history of magic where the majority of the class, like normal, fell asleep. Leaving Harry the opportunity to read his letter he got during the owl post. From Gringotts, affectively saying that his initial requests were accepted but he needed to sign some forms in person. Which brought up the subject of how Harry would be able to get out of Hogwarts long enough, without the headmaster knowing preferably, to make his way to Gringotts and finish what he started before term. That would be quite difficult, and would definitely require some thinking and planning.

Fourthly, Harry found out who his Defence-Against-The-Dark-Arts teacher was. Or teachers would be the correct term, as upon entering the classroom, he was face to face with both Tonks, the pink haired witch that had helped free him in his fifth year, from his Dursley prison. As well as his father's childhood friend and fellow marauder, Remus Lupin. Looking a lot better than the first time Harry had seen him. The first time he found out his parents' connection to Remus, he really took the man's appearance and demeanour into consideration.

Professor lupin as Harry knew him back then was very different, shy almost, where as now he seemed to be outspoken more. His clothing back there was less than average quality. It took Harry a lot of time thinking to figure out that was possibly because of his monthly condition hampering his life to the point of, getting a job and buying good clothes was most likely rather difficult. Whereas now, his clothing looked clean, and of good stitch. Maybe that was due to joining the order of the phoenix, maybe Dumbledore had actually done something to benefit someone else and had clothes bought for the man. But Harry was unsure of that just yet and instead got himself back on topic.

Fifthly and finally, after staying behind to talk to Remus and Tonks for a little bit, left the classroom and wandered off, eventually sitting down for a moment to come up with a plan when he heard the voices of Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. After calculating his chances of making it down the opposite end of the hall and around the corner out of sight, before the two made their way into the hall he was currently sat in, he realised he would be seen running away from Malfoy. Harry might not have been too much of a prideful person, but if Malfoy spread it that Harry was running from him. He'd be unable to stop himself killing the heir to the Malfoy fortune. Which would most certainly not look good on his record. Boy-Who-Lives-Takes-Revenge, Boy-Who-Lives-Turns-Dark, and many more could be the result of that. Either way, Harry needed an escape or plan of some sort and couldn't think of a thing. Until a voice in his head, one he didn't recognise at all, whispered a suggestion to him and almost drew the required information to the front of Harry's mind. To say it was an odd experience would be an immense understatement. Even with Occlumency he'd never had something whispered to him like that. But he didn't have time to think it over any more as he heard them just around the corner. Taking out his wand, he performed a spell, which he'd admit was advanced magic. Having never attempted the charm before, let alone successfully cast it, most certainly made Harry anxious and nervous if it would work. However when the cold wet feeling trickled down his back and to his toes, he knew from the description that he must have accomplished it. Maybe his mothers' charms gifts passed onto him after all. When the two slytherins walked past as if he wasn't here, he knew it'd had worked.

With a grin upon his face, he cancelled the charm and left once the coast was clear. Making his way towards his common room where he was right now.

Looking up at the portrait of the fat lady, he opened his mouth to give the password when a though crossed his mind, "what is the password?"

AN: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, review kindly!


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